Alyssa Nace EDC 102H F13 Dr. Fogleman
Due: September 18, 2013
The fact that my family life was spent in two different houses for the first few years of my academic career had a great effect on my determination to do well in elementary school. I really wanted to fit in with the other kids even though I knew my life was different. I figured if I could do my absolute best in school, maybe I'd be accepted by my peers. I worked so hard trying to impress everyone with my smarts. I even had my own reading group in fourth grade because my reading level was higher than everyone else's! In the end though, I was probably even more of an outcast because I was a so-called "overachiever".
After I did so well in elementary school, my parents began encouraging me significantly more to keep doing my best. Separately though, of course. Neither of them really wanted anything to do with the other, and they would often say my successes were all thanks to them, not the other parent; completely oblivious to the fact that I felt it was mostly due to my own determination. I studied whenever I had a chance and often did extra credit (not for the credit, but for the challenge). I received Highest Honors every trimester, without ever really overworking myself with schoolwork. But, with my parents always arguing over money or my disabled older brother's needs, I ended up being a bit pushed away and became more independent. They'd talk to me about how well I was doing, and I'd shrug it off like it was no big deal. Eventually they just made a comment when grades came out.
After "graduating" from eighth grade, my maternal grandparents became more encouraging. They were so proud that I was placed in advanced classes. My grandfather, who was a professor at Georgia College and State University, started talking more and more to me about doing well to get into a good college. I was going through a lot at home, and he was probably the person most successfully pushing me towards academic success. Following his advice, I took three AP courses my senior year. I ended up doing very well in High School; I was in the Rhode Island Honor Society, National Honor Society, and graduated 6th in my class.
My parents have gotten better at not squabbling so much; though my dad still likes to boast about my success for no particular reason, and that gets on my mom's nerves
since he's in no way involved in my life, really. They have their Facebook "fights" every once in a while. It can get pretty annoying, but I "don't have the heart to tell them what's real"; as one of my friends likes to say.
Now that I'm here at URI, I'm majoring in Secondary Education and Mathematics. I only recently realized that that's actually just like what my grandfather did, though I didn't mean for that to happen. I had been toying with the idea of majoring in Accounting or Business, like both my mom and dad did. I realized soon though that what I really wanted to do was teach. I've always been able to understand math pretty well and help others with it that it just felt right for me to major in Mathematics and some form of Education. I picked Secondary Education because I absolutely love Algebra. But, just to be sure and thorough, I decided to join Jumpstart to get a chance to work in an environment closer to elementary level. We'll see what happens from here.
EDC 102H F13
Dr. Fogleman
Due: September 18, 2013
The fact that my family life was spent in two different houses for the first few years of my academic career had a great effect on my determination to do well in elementary school. I really wanted to fit in with the other kids even though I knew my life was different. I figured if I could do my absolute best in school, maybe I'd be accepted by my peers. I worked so hard trying to impress everyone with my smarts. I even had my own reading group in fourth grade because my reading level was higher than everyone else's! In the end though, I was probably even more of an outcast because I was a so-called "overachiever".
After I did so well in elementary school, my parents began encouraging me significantly more to keep doing my best. Separately though, of course. Neither of them really wanted anything to do with the other, and they would often say my successes were all thanks to them, not the other parent; completely oblivious to the fact that I felt it was mostly due to my own determination. I studied whenever I had a chance and often did extra credit (not for the credit, but for the challenge). I received Highest Honors every trimester, without ever really overworking myself with schoolwork. But, with my parents always arguing over money or my disabled older brother's needs, I ended up being a bit pushed away and became more independent. They'd talk to me about how well I was doing, and I'd shrug it off like it was no big deal. Eventually they just made a comment when grades came out.
After "graduating" from eighth grade, my maternal grandparents became more encouraging. They were so proud that I was placed in advanced classes. My grandfather, who was a professor at Georgia College and State University, started talking more and more to me about doing well to get into a good college. I was going through a lot at home, and he was probably the person most successfully pushing me towards academic success. Following his advice, I took three AP courses my senior year. I ended up doing very well in High School; I was in the Rhode Island Honor Society, National Honor Society, and graduated 6th in my class.
My parents have gotten better at not squabbling so much; though my dad still likes to boast about my success for no particular reason, and that gets on my mom's nerves
since he's in no way involved in my life, really. They have their Facebook "fights" every once in a while. It can get pretty annoying, but I "don't have the heart to tell them what's real"; as one of my friends likes to say.
Now that I'm here at URI, I'm majoring in Secondary Education and Mathematics. I only recently realized that that's actually just like what my grandfather did, though I didn't mean for that to happen. I had been toying with the idea of majoring in Accounting or Business, like both my mom and dad did. I realized soon though that what I really wanted to do was teach. I've always been able to understand math pretty well and help others with it that it just felt right for me to major in Mathematics and some form of Education. I picked Secondary Education because I absolutely love Algebra. But, just to be sure and thorough, I decided to join Jumpstart to get a chance to work in an environment closer to elementary level. We'll see what happens from here.